Smiling Moose Deli Opens Four New Locations and Introduces the Mo!Mac

Denver, CO – Answering a call for adventuresome food and a lighthearted atmosphere, Smiling Moose Deli has recently opened four new locations in Cincinnati, Ohio; Rapid City, South Dakota; Bozeman, Montana; and Fargo, North Dakota. While increasing opportunities for Moose sightings across the country, Smiling Moose Deli has also expanded their menu with the release of a brand new dish called ‘Mo!Mac’, a combination of their signature Mighty Mo! and their classic Mac ‘n Cheese.

While Smiling Moose Deli is expanding their geographic range, adding to the diverse menu of chopped salads, all-day breakfast choices, soups, cold and hot sandwiches, and wraps is just as important. Intent on offering variety, Mo has just introduced Mo!Mac to the menu, a deliciously addictive combination of the ‘Savory Mac ‘n Cheese’ and the ‘Mighty Mo!’. This hearty meal is more like a big bowl of ‘rescue-me-from -these-winter-blues’. Mac ‘n Cheese is layered with chopped sirloin, crispy bacon, diced tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos, Parmesan cheese, and then dusted with salt and pepper. Finish with a homemade chocolate fudge brownie or one of our fresh baked cookies for a complete and satisfying meal.

Franchisees, Joe Plattner and Jon Gilday discovered Smiling Moose Deli on a ski trip to Vail. “We ate at the Smiling Moose every day! We not only saved money compared to eating at the ski area, but we thoroughly enjoyed the variety of hearty meals that satisfied the hunger we generated from skiing all day.” They appreciated the spirit of the franchise, and determined the Colorado-based franchise would be a good fit in their Clifton Heights community, east of Cincinnati. The partners plan to open two more locations in the area by 2015. The new store located at 200 W. McMillan Street just edges out the Evansville, Indiana Smiling Moose Deli location as being the furthest east in the United States.

Abby Bridges grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota and has many family and friends in the area, so it was the perfect location for her second Smiling Moose Deli, located just off of I-90. When she opened her first location in Gillette, she knew she wanted to open more than one and thought the small, fast casual restaurant model could meet that objective. “I like the idea of management, creating jobs and positively affecting the local economy.” She regularly caters meals for her brother who is a doctor and her sister who is a teacher in the area.

Nathan Everson also knew he wanted to open more than one Smiling Moose Deli when he put his hat into the ring two years ago with his first Fargo location. He was just surprised it was in the same town. Everson’s new ‘Downtown Fargo’ location was entirely the result of customer feedback and demand. “I am particularly excited about being a part of revitalizing downtown Fargo. Our new location was intentionally designed with a little more edge. We have a unique coffee concept where we work with a local roaster, who depending upon the season; will find raw coffee beans from around the world. He then roasts them, and delivers them to us the next day. We take over from there – grind them, put them in a gravity press and let ’em brew! Customers slow down and enjoy the process, appreciating the delicious and aromatic result.”

Keeping up with the fishing, hunting and skiing crowds of Bozeman, Montana led franchisee Sharon Stachlowski to open up a second location in Bozeman, Montana, explaining that it was a ‘no brainer’ for her. “The fast growing Four Corners is the busiest intersection in Montana – gateway to the airport, Big Sky ski resort, rivers and golf courses.” Stachlowski notes the ease in which she was able to ready the new Smiling Moose Deli location given her previous experience and in particular, her ability to train the new staff at the existing location. Situated in a commercial location that looks more like an 1800’s store front, her customers enjoy the option of either sitting down for a meal surrounded by pictures that depict the Bozeman area 150 years ago, or the convenience of the drive-thru window.

Notably, these four new locations now put Smiling Moose Deli over the 20+ locations mark for the fast casual restaurant franchise. The Moose has seen steady growth since opening the first location in Edwards, Colorado in 2003. This year, plans include five more locations under development for North Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota.

ABOUT SMILING MOOSE DELI
Smiling Moose Deli serves up the fresh quality and flavor of a deli with a wry smile. Serious about offering innovative hand-crafted sandwiches, wraps, salads, homemade soups, fresh-baked cookies and more, Smiling Moose Deli isn’t a secret, but for everyone who finds us it’s a welcome discovery. Enjoy our delicious, Rocky Mountain deli-style food… served fresh with a side of fun!